Labor Day In The Big City

Well,I guess summer is over now that's Labor day has come and gone. Seems like everyone does something really fun to fit it all in. We had a wedding to go to in Chicago-many weddings were also going on in Chi-town as I found out. So,not our normal BBQ-or float on the river-it was back to the big city for some real city fun.

I lived in Chicago when I was 21 for a few years-I remembered it as being so fun. I loved all of the night life,restaurants,riding bikes on the lake,window shopping etc. That was 30 plus years ago-Not sure if I am getting old or I have been in Montana long enough to understand what quality of life is.

We took the L train to the city where we stayed at a friend of mine's condo right downtown. I forgot how loud the train was-packed cars with suit cases-a transfer to another train in the hot humid air-I don't remember the smells-I am so used to clean air and few people. A lot of walking-I am so used to folks smiling and saying hello-it's different in the big city.Trash! Yes,it was dirty-Was Chicago that dirty 30 years ago? Seems as though folks don't have the same pride that we do in Bozeman-We love our town-we want it clean and nice. I know the city has many more folks but someone needs to care. For instance-we saw a sign"River Walk" sounds nice right? Well... Several homeless hanging out smoking,lot's of trash and a woman dumping something that looked like Mountain Dew into the river-it was not Mountain Dew-gross,right???

Seems like everything was dirty-the public restrooms near the lake-no thanks,I'll hold it. There was a sign in a cab that it was a $50.00 charge if you threw up in the cab-I washed my hands a lot that visit.

We landed in Bozeman around 11:00 PM-the air was cool and crisp(smokey from the fires,but not bad)The bathroom was so clean like a fine restaurant(well,maybe not) but you get the picture-We walked out to our car and paid the sweet woman in the parking booth that actually seemed to care about how our trip was. On the drive home I think we saw 6 cars,if that. no traffic-wide open spaces.

Then on my morning walk I looked up to see the Bridger mountains,wheat fields,clean roads with few people and thought I am so lucky to live in this part of the world-No rat race here.

Next labor day,unless there is another wedding,I am staying in Montana!